Salvador Casillas Arriola, (Chava) 93, passed away peacefully at his home on June 23, 2023, with his loving family at his side. Chava was a loving and devoted father, husband, son, uncle, brother, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was also a loyal and entertaining friend to those whose lives he touched. He will be greatly missed by all.
A lifelong resident of El Paso, Texas, he was born on December 26, 1929, attended Catholic elementary schools and graduated from Cathedral High School. At the age of 18 he enlisted in the Navy to serve his country during the Korean War. He was a proud Navy veteran, having survived challenging conflicts with the enemy at sea. He was a Fourth-Degree member of the Knights of Columbus and a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. He was a self-directed student of history and gifted in anything dealing with electronics. He experienced a varied professional career as a realtor, an electronics specialist at the El Paso Natural Gas Company, at GTE, and at Midland Radio Supply. He could fix all electronics and loved to take things apart and put them back together. He was an aficionado of classical music and taught himself to play the organ simply because he loved its sound.
A wise sage with an incredible sense of humor and never-ending compassion for others, Chava never complained a day in his life, imparted profound advice with his dichos and was a lover of bread and pastry of all kinds, especially pan dulce. Above all else, he was a devout practitioner of the Roman Catholic faith. Our father, Chavita, touched our lives in immeasurable ways and was the ultimate role model of Christian life and service to all who knew him.
As a father, he was the epitome of unconditional love. His unwavering support and encouragement were a constant source of comfort and inspiration. He embraced fatherhood with open arms, nurturing our dreams and aspirations, and offering guidance along life's winding path. He celebrated our successes and stood by us during our darkest hours. His love knew no bounds; his presence provided us with a sense of security and belonging that will forever be treasured. We felt our father’s love infinitely throughout our lives. We loved him deeply, respecting him for the example he showed us. We admired him especially because he was uncomplicated and humble and his approach to life was simple and fair. We have not only lost our beloved father, but the greatest friend we’ve ever had. He lives eternally in our hearts.
Salvador is preceded in death by his parents, Juan Jose Casillas, and Antonia Arriola de Casillas, as well as his siblings Carmen Casillas Scott, Lucio Casillas, Luis Casillas, and Juan de Dios Casillas. His surviving sisters are Josefina Casillas Ross, Maria Elena Casillas McMinn, Lupe Casillas Lowenberg, and Maria Antonieta Casillas Yoshinobu.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years Guadalupe Vargas Casillas; his beloved children Isabel Casillas Rosales (Edmundo), Adrian M. Casillas (Tina) Celina Casillas Probyn (Keith), and Miguel A. Casillas (Deborah); his beloved grandchildren Cristina Rosales Krause (Andrew), Adrian E. Rosales, Andrea L. Rosales, Cristian John James Probyn, Maya Soledad Casillas, and great-granddaughter Marie Esperanza Krause.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully request donations be made in his name to any of our father’s service organizations: The Knights of Columbus, The Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, St. Francis Seminary, and Holy Family Catholic Church.
Funeral arrangements through Funeraria Del Angel Central
Rest in Peace Chavita
A visitation for Salvador will be held Thursday, July 20, 2023 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Funeraria del Angel Central, 3839 Montana Ave, El Paso, TX 79903. A rosary will occur Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 7:00 PM at Funeraria Del Angel Central, 3839 Montana Ave, El Paso, Texas 79903. A funeral mass will occur Friday, July 21, 2023 at 9:30 AM at Holy Family Church, 900 W. Missouri Ave., El Paso, Texas 79902. A committal service will occur Friday, July 21, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Fort Bliss National Cemetery, 5200 Fred Wilson Ave, Fort Bliss, Texas 79906.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.FunerariaDelAngelMartin.com for the Casillas family.
